INK AND THE ARMY | RALLYPOINT.COM

Image Copyright: David Vergun/ Army.mil

By Anonymous Writer

Tattoos in the military have a long, rich history, dating back to the age of the Roman Legions sweeping across Europe.  Soldiers have used ink as a means of self-expression and individuality in an institution that has been so traditionally standardized and uniformed.  Unit insignia, names of lovers and friends, and pictures of family have adorned soldiers’ bodies for decades and have not dictated their service potential until now.

On March 31, revised Army Regulation 670-1, which governs the Army’s grooming standards and proper dress code, was updated to regulate the types of tattoos soldiers can have in the coming months and years.  Taken from the document, “Tattoos cannot be located anywhere on the neck or head above the lines of a T-shirt.  They also cannot be located anywhere below the wrist bone.” Popular sleeve tattoos are also being banned from arms and legs.  Generally, soldiers who violate the new tattoo policy but were compliant with previous policies are grandfathered in as long as commanders validate their current tattoos. Hence, the rush to cover themselves with ink before the regulations take effect.

Many soldiers are bemoaning the changes, arguing that tattoos are one of the only ways to distinguish themselves from others in the unit.  Other soldiers are welcoming the changes, saying that unregulated tattoos and piercings make the Army appear unprofessional or amateurish. In an Army Times interview, Capt. Charles Caruana said, “It is about time someone decided that the Army has ‘lost its way' in trying to be over-accommodating when it came to soldier appearance.”  

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OBAMA UNVEILS $1B SECURITY PLAN AIMED AT RUSSIA | RALLYPOINT.COM

Image Copyright: Janek Skarzynski / Getty Images

By David Jackson / USA Today

WARSAW — Just as it served as a crossroads of the old Cold War, Poland gave President Obama a chance Tuesday to intensify a new-style standoff with Russia over Ukraine.

In meetings with Polish and Eastern European leaders, Obama unveiled a $1 billion plan to bolster security for NATO allies and warned Russia that further aggression in Ukraine will bring more sanctions.

The package — dubbed the "European Re-Assurance Initiative" by aides — is "a powerful demonstration of America's unshakeable commitment to our NATO allies," Obama said after meeting with Polish President Bronislaw Komorowski.

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THE BERGDAHL RELEASE AND THE TAHMOORESSI FIASCO | RALLYPOINT.COM

By Anonymous Writer

America has a lot to digest between Sgt. Bowe Bergdahl’s release after five years captive by the Taliban and the two month imprisonment of Sgt. Andrew Tahmooressi in a Mexican jail cell.  The obvious differences in how Bergdahl’s and Tahmooressi’s situations are being handled are hard to ignore and highly politicized.  Most notably, Bergdahl is free and Tahmooressi is still being held captive in Mexico.

There is heavy speculation that Bergdahl deserted his post on an OP in southeast Afghanistan.  His motives are still unclear, but the testimonies of many of the men he served with do not paint a strong picture of Bergdahl’s mental state nor his commitment to the American efforts in Afghanistan.  In fact, many of his contemporaries are calling him a traitor and feel he should be tried under the United States Military Code of Conduct (USMCC).  What’s more, the Obama Administration conducted a prisoner exchange of five of the highest ranking al-Qaeda members being held at Guantanamo Bay including Khair Ulla Said Wali Khairkhwa, a direct associate of Osama bin Laden.  Several politicians, including Sen. John McCain (AZ) and Sen. Lindsey Graham (SC), have serious concerns over the release of these known terrorists because of the danger they pose to American units in the Middle East, as well as the incentive it creates to capture other American and ANA soldiers.

While Bergdahl begins batteries of medical and psychological exams before he can return home, Tahmooressi is pleading for freedom in a Mexican courthouse after allegedly being held in horrific conditions, which included beatings and lengthy physical restraint.  A petition asking President Obama to demand the release of Sgt. Tahmooressi has more than 120,000 signatures as of Monday morning.  Tahmooressi was apprehended by Mexican authorities after unknowingly crossing into Mexican territory with three registered firearms and has been held for two months.

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